Updated: Ekejiuba’s contract numbers

UPDATE: A league source checked in with details of Isaiah Ekejiuba’s deal, which was first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.

It’s for three years, $5.4 million. He got $1.25 million to sign. Cleveland the New York Jets were both in pursuit.

It’s believed to be the richest contract for a core special teams player. Ekejiuba played fewer than 10 snaps on defense all season.

Watched an entire hour devoted to the opening of free agency on the NFL Network and the only time I heard the Raiders mentioned was in reference Gibril Wilson, DeAngelo Hall and their double-dip free agency bonanzas.

Fifty-plus deals, hundreds of millions of dollars, not a Raider in sight . . .

With everything fairly quiet on the Raiders front, some speculation and opinion to keep the wheel turning:
– I sat in a Napa Marriott Hotel room one day with Jon Gruden, listening to him derisively refer to a Mo Collins-Darrell Russell practice matchup as a “brother-in-law block.” Translation _ they were giving each other a break.

It was the first thing I thought of when the Kansas City Chiefs got Matt Cassel for Mike Vrabel and the No. 34 pick in the draft. Bill Belichick was executing a brother-in-law block with ex-colleague Scott Pioli.

Detroit needs a quarterback and is at No. 33. Hard to believe they couldn’t have done better, shipping a younger player the Patriots’ way.

I happen to agree with the the assessment that with 10 wins under his belt (Tom Brady started the other) for a playoff-caliber team, Cassel has proven much more than Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford.

Vrabel, 34, is a throw-in with no more than a year or two left. He fit in with an established New England defense but not a terrible one in Kansas City. The trade was all about the quarterback, and Belichick gift-wrapped this one to the Chiefs.

– Dallas got backup quarterback Jon Kitna for Anthony Henry, a starting cornerback. Wonder if the Raiders had struck earlier if they could have gotten it done for Stanford Routt?

Kitna is extremely competitive, highly professional and always pushes the starter, but also knows his role. Would have been a perfect backup for Russell.

– If you’re a Raiders fan, you’ve got to love the whole Jay Cutler saga regardless of how it turns out.

Very soon, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels and Cutler will greet the media and invoke some or all of the Holy Trinity of athletes and sports journalism (misquoted, blown out of proportion, taken out of context).

But the beauty if the NFL Network is that you see what we see. If you’ve watched the Broncos post-game press conferences, your quickly realize that Cutler is a life-of-the-party quotemeister when he wins and a spoiled brat when he loses.

He gets a whiff of McDaniels’ interest in Cassel, and he responds accordingly.

That bodes well for AFC West opponents for close games in the fourth quarter.

– If the Raiders get serious about tackles Marvel Smith (Pittsburgh) and Khalif Barnes (Jacksonville), it’s reasonable to infer they believe the tackles they like best in the NFL draft will be gone by No. 7.

From a distance, it appears Virginia’s Eugene Monroe is the most athletic, mobile tackle on the board _ and it doesn’t sound as if he’ll be around.

While Barnes played left tackle with the Jaguars, some feel is he is better suited to playing on the right.

- Curious to see what T.J. Houshmanzadeh will “settle” for in the next few days. As reliable as he is, a 10-yard-per-catch wideout on a team often playing from behind becomes hard to justify when the dollars pile up.

– With Ekejiuba in the fold, the next special teams target could be Justin Miller, who returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns.

– It’s been more than two weeks, and the Raiders have still not confirmed the signing of cornerback Chris Johnson.

– I have a lot of respect for the job NFL Network analyst Adam Schefter does tracking down information. He was very good at it before he had the advantage of actually working for the NFL.

Same goes for Mike Lombardi. Even those former Raiders colleagues who aren’t fond of him begrudgingly admit his preparation and ability to have good information on virtually any prospect instantaneously were remarkable.

Yet you watch the NFL Network shows about the signings and every one is solid gold. Hole-in-one, birdie, hole-in-one.

Very little criticism has accompanied the signing of Hall by Washington. The deal the Raiders made to bring him aboard last year had its share of detractors _ including yours truly.

But now that Hall has gone elsewhere, it’s as if he’s become cleansed somehow.

yeah all four years, I remember you dude, i think we had some class together, I dont remember which ones but man this is crazy

raiders.7126

that’s crazy guys i live in fresno too, and i go to central east

http://deleted BooBootheKlown

your joking right or are you serious?

Demon Raider

Hell yeah it is…. I’ve only been back n Fresno for a little over a year. I was in Vegas from 04 to 08. IO ight move back to Vegas this summer.

raiders.7126

yeah i am serious

Demon Raider

Why do I feel skeptical about that 7126?

http://deleted BooBootheKlown

Damn vegas my budding are there for the Nascar races this weekend those bastards

.7126 whats your name bro?

raiders.7126

you guys wouldn’t know me because i still go to central east.

http://deleted BooBootheKlown

my buddies i mean

Demon Raider

I’m still pissed about blowing out my knee junior year in Wrestling….

http://deleted BooBootheKlown

I have a little brother that graduated in 2008, what’s your name man

http://deleted BooBootheKlown

yeah that doesnt sound good man my knees are getting old

Demon Raider

Yeah, the Race in Vegas are packed every year

http://deleted BooBootheKlown

You may know my buddy Chris McEwen, but he goes with his family every year

Demon Raider

Veater was the one who hurt my knee during practice. I’m just glad I never had him for math, Lol

Demon Raider

I remember Chris. I haven’t seen him since graduated…

http://deleted BooBootheKlown

I did dude I freaking hated that as shole. Bastard gave me a F junior year, i had to go to summer school

http://deleted BooBootheKlown

Me and that guy always drink together, my computer is about to overheat bro. Hit me on myspace or something I catch you later.

Demon Raider

Sucks that you had him for math. And I’ll catch you later

P

Hey Yerry, you moron… ever occur to you that sports “journalism” isn’t worth more than a few derisive, rote comments?

I struggle to think of many professions on this planet that are significantly less noble than the lowly sports mediot.

http://. Coach on Wheels

“I don’t beleive in addition through subtraction.” – Al Davis a few years ago in defending his habit of keep scholarship players who stink.

I thought that was pretty lame at the time so in an effort to have ANY hope the team will improve…

WHY SUBTRACTION HAS HELPED THE RAIDERS

- Knapp had become a wasted coaching spot
Ryan – A terrible play-caller and yes man, good riddence
Curry – WRs looked better when Curry stopped stealing the young guys reps
Grove – Will force the team to draft or sign a consistent guy
RG – Must figure MacQ is ready
Griffith – Don’t need a receiving FB, just Oneal power blocking
Wilson – Makes for a wide open competition in camp?
KR Miller – Our D will be pitching so many shutouts we’ll never receive kickoffs?

Okay, there I have chugged of the kool aid. Make it work al. Sick of losing seasons.

big Ben

Lets worry about the draft after we sign some free agents. The Raiders do better with the 2nd tier guys like Clemons 2 years ago and Edwards last year. The draft is in 55 days and a lot can happen by then. Hopefully we can pick up some guys to fill some holes and then draft to fix the rest.

http://ibabuzz 4evaRaider

Good Morning NATION!!!

Florida Pete

hmmmmm…

jerry mac seems to acknowledge that there is a little pre-ordained negativity when it comes to reporting on raider activities…

i do believe jerry is… no… he is not jumping on the raider bandwagon…

but i’m guessing he is liking what he is seeing with the raiders ever since Hall got cut…

he is not jumping on the Raider bandwagon… but he has secured one of the straps hanging off the thing…

welcome !!!

http://ibabuzz 4evaRaider

I’m sceptical of jerry.About 2 or 3 months ago someone asked him what our needs were in draft.Jerry said WR in 2nd round.Man I fell off my chair.How could he NOT see our young WRs are gonna tear this league up.Jerry dont know da Raiders and is a tool,imo

http://ibabuzz 4evaRaider

and the norm is it takes 2-3 years 4 a WR 2 get aclimated in nfl.We dont have the time and as I said B4 our young,talented,SPEED DEMONS ARE BURN UP THE NFL

MaddenRedneck

So the Raiders resign Ekejiuba and Sam Williams is still a free agent? Sounds like Cable is getting his way with Davis. Now trade for Cutler to compete with Russell, Cutler wants out of Denver now.

MaddenRedneck

Trade Walter and a draft pick for Cutler since Andrew fits in the shotgun offense McDaniels will run better than Jay.